Automatic baling-press.



R. E. RAHM.

AUTOMATIC BALING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1908.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1908.

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APPLIGATION FILED MAB.1,19os.

930,083. Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

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ROBERT E. RAHM, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

AUTQMATIC BILLING-PRESS.

N o. 930,083. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1908. Serial No. 421,420.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. RAHM, citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful lmotherwise suitably constructed to perform provements in Automatic Baling-Presses, of the operation of baling. The forward end of which the following is a speciiication. the box forms a baling chamber 6, from My invention relates to new and useful imwhich two longitudinal slots 7, extend rearprovements in hay presses.

The object of the invention is 'to provide a press having a plurality of devices for packing the hay into the baling-chamber as it is fed into the press andmeans whereby the packing devices move out of the path of the press-head during the travel of the same.

A further feature lies in automatic means for operating and controlling the movement of the press-head in conjunction with the packing devices.

Another point of novelty resides in means ressing or baling chamber and ejecting the bale; also means for wiring and tying the bale.

Finally the object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, eflicient and comparatively simple ward in the bottom 2. Sprocket wheels 8 are fixed on shaft 8 supported transversely of and beneath the b slots. The wheels at each end of each slot are connected by endless chains 9, one extending along the outside of each slot, substantially the entire length thereof. The chains 9 are connected transversely, and at regular intervals, by rods 10 on which packing fingers 11, are pivoted. These iingers are positioned and adapted to swing up into the box through the slots 7, and as shown in Fig. 9, are substantially L-shaped, the forward end of the long leg being pointed and curved upward and the short leg carrying a roller 12, said fingers being pivoted at the intersection of the legs. The rollers 12 are of sufficient' weight to maintain the long legs of the fingers in a substantially horizontal position. The chains travel toward the baling chamber carrying the iingers beneath the slots 7, the same being swung up into the box by the engagement of the rollers with a plate 14 supported on latches 15, just under the upper lengths of the chains. The press is fed from a hopper 16 having feeding rolls 17, rthrough an opening 18 over the rear ends of the slots, the material being carried forward by the gers and packed in the baling chamber. As the material accumulates in the box, the resistance offered to the fingers is gradually increased until the iingers are forced back and down, the rollers depressing the plate 14 until the latter drops and the assume a horizontal position, being thus withdrawn from the box. The latches 15 which support the plate are pivoted to swing upward only and are mounted on bell-crank levers 19 suitably supported from the bottom 2. The adjacent ends of these levers are connected with the opposite ends of a lever 20, as shown in Fig. 1, pivoted centrally on a support 21 and held in position by a coiled spring 22 suitably supported on the side of the box. Conseuently when the levers 19 are swung down, t 's connection causes them to swing awa from each other simultaneously, and thus Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention has relation to certain novel features, an example of which is described in the speciiication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Flgure 1 is a side elevation of the press, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side, a portion being broken away, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, Fig. 4 is a plan view, broken away to show the press-head and the slots, Fig. 5 is a partial transverse sectional view through the top of the press box, showing the press chamber opening means in elevation and looking from the baling chamber, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same arts, the press-head being shown in vertica section, Fig. 7 is an end elevation of a portion of the controlling means, Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 9 is a j one of the iingers and a portion ofthe chain, Fig. l() is a detailed view of the mechanism employed for raising the plate which holds the feeding fingers in upright position, Fig. 10Et is a detail of the clutch mechanism. Fig. 11 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 12 is ay front elevation.

\1 designates ox at each end of the Vpressure exerted on any part of the late will cause an equal movement by all t e levers 19. When the plate drops off the latches,

the levers are returned to their normal posi- 5 tion by the spring 22 and connections. As the plate drops it falls upon cams 23 fixed on transverse shafts 24 supported from the box and normally having their projecting portions extending downward; After the bale has been formed and it is desired to again raise the plate to ack the .next bale, the cams are swung as ollows: Pulleys 25, connected to the shafts, are connected by a crossed belt 26, causing the cams to move toward eachother as they are swung upward by a pulley 27 connected to a shaft 24' and driven by a belt 23 running over a pulley 29 mounted on the rear shaft 8 and driven by the chain mechanism. However the swinging of the cams is controlled by a clutch mounted on the rear shaft 24 and `ashaft 24 which normally holds the cams against movement and when set by proper means, permits the transmission of motion to the cams. This clutch and means willbe hereinafter ldescribed.

It will be noted that after the plate has dropped and during thebaling operation the cams are at rest..Y When the cams are set in motion, they swing toward each other and upl, engaging the plate 14 and raising it. T e plate in passing upward encounters the latches 15 which are swung upward until they drop beneath the same and the plate comes to rest thereon when the cams pass over their centers. The'clutch mechanism is arranged -to permit one revolution of lthe cams only.

The bale compressing means will be next described. Asuitable press-head 30 is 'mounted to travel in the box yand is normally held in rear of the slots 7 and the opening 18. The head, at its rear central portion, has pivoted connection with a "llnk connection with the upper end of an larm 32, normally held in an upright position and pivotally supported between ears 33 mounted on the platform 3. lt is obvious that when the arm is swung forward 'and down, the head by means ofthe link will be moved forwardin the vbox to the baling-chamb er, all the material lying in the box being carried forward into the baling-chamber, and together with that .already packed by the fingers, densely compressed. On the other hand when'the armis swung up and rearward, the head will be `retracted and returned to its normal position. p

Itis apparent `'that means for operating the various parts at the Yproper time must be provided. ln carrying ont the Vtransmission of motion, a drivingshaft 34 is suitably mounted on the 'top 4 just in rear of thehop er 16 and carries a driving pulley 35 'to whidli mokbelt or other suitable tion is imparted by ka 31 having pivo'ted means. pulleys 36 and 37 of mounted, one outside of the other.

driving pulley 35 is Y -of the arrow, which drives the chains 9 forward by means of a belt 36 and about a pulley 39 mounted on pulley the forward shaft 8.

Motion is imparted from a belt 40 to a pulley 45 and 46 and loosely mission-shaft 42 supported in a bearing 43. On the outer end of the On the opposite end of the shaft, are The driven in the direction smaller diameters,

33, passing over the the pulley 37 by 44Y having clutch-hubs mounted on a transshaft 42 a pulley 41 is secured to a clutch-sleeve 49 mounted in the bearing 43 and means of a belt 50, to a pulley on the end of one of the feeding-rolls 17 which are suitably geared to perform their The clutch-hub 45 is normally in engagement with the clutch-sleeve 49 so as to transmit motion thereto, while a springheld lever 47 pivotally supported'in a bracket t with the clutch-hub 45.

operation.

48 has engagemen lt will be noted by observing Fig. 10 that the bracket 43 clso forms a bearing end of the shaft 42. nection, as shown in bell-crank plate swings the lever 47 er end which has clutch-sleeve 45, as swing inward the shaft 42 until,

as shown in Figs. 2, shaft 59 is supported to becapable of long-i rows, `the said 'gear'- with vrelation to from the vsaid gear revolved tothe right, is mounted on the shaft carries .a ypinion ion '65 mounted Aon right with relation t lever 52 suitably supported beneath the bottom and having connection with a reversed bell-crank lever 53 likewise supported and having 14. Therefore drops, as hereinbefore crank` lever 53 is swung the rear end of the lever downward causing its up- Fig. 1.

by a pinion end ported shaft 63, as shown-in Fig. 4.

K the shaft v59 thus causing the same vand the pinion 6() to revolve to-the transmits motion by 51 mounted for the inner The lever 47 has con- Figs. 7 and 8, with a eng-agement with the when the plate 14 described, the belldownward, swinging 52 downward which engagement with the shown in Fig. 10, to

and thus slide the pulley L44 on f the clutch-sleeve 46 engages with a clutch-hub 54 carried by a pinion 55 loosely mounted on the shaft.

The ypinion 55, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 engages with a large gear 57. The `gear 57 is fixed onthe end of a `shaft 58 suitably supported from the under side of the platform `3,

7, and 3.

A transverse on the platform 3 so as tudinal movement, and

l 15 es with a segmental to the 'side ofthe arm l 12@ is revolved to the left Motion is taken 462 which is as shown in Fig. 1, and

of Aa suitablyl supyThis 64 meshing with a pino Fig. 2, which causes the segmental plate 61 to be moved downward with the arm 32, 4thus moving `the head 30 forward into the boX and baling-chamber. It is thus apparent that just as soon as the plate 14 drops, the mechanism just described moves the clutch-hub 45 4out of :engagement wit-h the clutch-sleeve 49 fthus interrupting the transmission of motion to the pulley 5.1 and stopping the feeding mechanism; at :the same time setting into operation the necessary parts to impart lto the press-heafdfO, its forward stroke. It is necessary to momentarily hold the head at the end of its forward stroke so that the bale will be held 1in form during the Vtying operation which will be hereinafter described.

ln carrying out the above and for returning the head, on the end of the shaft 58 a disk 66 -is keyed and provided with a cam having high and low portions 67 `and 68 one merging into the other as shown in Figs. 2 and 11. A spring-held lever 69 pivoted in the platform projects into the path ofthe cam and has connection at its upper end with the longitudinally movable shaft A59. It is to -be understood that the movements of all parts are controlled vby t-he large gear 57, `a complete revolution of this wheel occurring while the head 80 is going through its forward movement, the rest period and its return movement. Consequently when the gear has revolved a certain portion of `its revolution, the disk 66 being fixed on the same shaft, will revolve accordingly.

A-t the beginning of the downward movement, the high portion 67 of the cam rides against the end of the lever v69 swinging the same against the tension of its spring so lthat the shaft 59 is slid outward to occupy the position shown in Fig. 4, 'which throws the gear into mesh with the pinion 64. As the large gear 54 continues to revolve, the head 30 is moved forward so that simultaneously with its arrival at the compression chamber, the l:high portion 67 ofthe cam rides from beneath the lever and the low portion 68 of the cam engages the same with the result that the shaft 59 is moved `inward throwing the pinion 65 out of mesh with the 'pinionl 64 so that the transmission of motion to the shaft is interrupted land the rest period begun. The parts occupy these positions and -the rest period is continued while the ylow portion of the-cam continues to ride past 'the lever 69.

As A'before mentioned the material in the box is carried forward by the forward movee ment of the head 30 and tied during the rest period. When the low portion 68 of the cam passes from the lever 69, the shaft 59 being under `spring' tension, is fpu'lled'over so that -a pinion '70carried on the outerend `of said shaft, is thrown -into ymesh with the large gear vr57 kas, shown Iin Figs. 1 .and 11, which lcauses the broadface pinion 60 to revolve -to 'the right with Arelation to Fig. 3

which acts to vswing the plate 61 .and arm 82 upward, which withdraws or returns the head 30 to its normal position.

The end `of the baling-chamber is formed by a door 71 suitably hinged to the top 4 and fastened by a vertical slide-bolt 72 engaging ina latch-plate 73 secured to the bottom of the baling-chamber. A `iieXible connection 74 passes up over a guidepulley 75 suitably mounted on the upper corner of the door, to the forward end of a slide-plate 76 .as shown in Figs. 4, 5, .and 6. This plate rests on guide-rails 77 curved at their rear endand conforming toa slot 78 in the top 4 as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A shoe 79 projects into the slot from the plate 76 carrying .a roller 80 bearing against the side-walls thereof and terminating substantially flush with the underside of the top 4, at its lower end. A dog 81 is pivoted in the lower end of the shoe so as to be engaged by the head 30 and swing upward into the shoe as the head moves forward and past the same, `but to remain -rigid `and establish a connection between the head and the shoe when engaged by the former during its return movement. Therefore as the head 30 is returned to its normal position it engages lthe dog 81 and moves the plate 76 rearward, through the agency of the shoe, on the rails 77. As the said plate is moved the bolt 72 is withdrawn from the latch-plate 73 and lthe door 71 swungoutward and upward until it reaches .a substantially lhorizontal position. As before stated the slot 78 curves to one side at its rear end. The roller 8O causes the shoe to readily follow the slot .and thus the parts as well as the ldog 81 .are moved laterally at the end of fthe slot, andthe rearward `movement of the plate 76. The headBO is lprovided in its upper side, with a slot 82 positioned to rregister with the dog when the shoe reaches vthe rear end of the slot, thus breaking the connection between the head of the shoeand permitting the head to continue on its rearward movement.

To eject the bale from the chamber -6 a transverse shaft 83 is mounted on the top of the :chamber and provided with fingers 84 to pass through slotsf85 as shown in Figs. 3 .and 4 and engage the baleas `the shaft revolves. For revolving the shaft 83 to the `left lwith relation to Figs. 3 and 4, a .pulley 86 is mounted on the projecting end of the shaft and driven by a belt 87 extending from a pulley 88 as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring Ato Fig. 4 when the pinion :60 is moved inward to begin the return movement of the press-head, a clutch 89 carried there by, is thrown into engagement witha clutch 90 carried on the end of a shaft 9.1 suitably supported and having mounted on its outer end the pulley 88. l'It -isapparent that as the 4press-"head starts on `its .rearward movement,

the door opening and raising mechanism,

and the ejecting device are set into operation, and the bale as it is ejected bears against the door assisting in the raising of the same, and thus taking some of the strain off of the flexible connection 74. Thus when the shoe 79 reaches the rear end of the slot 7 S, the bale will be practically ejected so that the door is free to swing down and lock, and return the plate 76 and other parts to their normal position.

When the head 30 reaches the end of its return stroke or normal position, the large gear 57 has completed a full revolution and is stopped as will be hereinafter described. However, just prior to this, a cam 92 mounted on the inside of the gear 57 engages the end of a lever 93 suitably pivoted and having engagement at its opposite cnd with a slidable clutch-sleeve 94 mounted on the adjacent shaft 24 carrying the rearward plateraising cams 23. The lever 93 is arranged so that when it is swung by the cam 92 the clutch-sleeve 94 is moved into engagement with a clutch-sleeve 95 fixed on the shaft 24 so that motion which is being imparted to the pulley 27, will be transmitted to the shafts 24 and swing the cams 23 upward. As the cams 23 swing upward they raise the plate 14 until it trips past the latches 15 as hereinbefore described. It will be apparent that as the plate is raised the bell-crank` levers 52 and 53 will be swung, thus permitting the lever 47 as shown in Figs. 8 and 10, to slide the pulley 44 so that the clutch-hub 46 is withdrawn from the clutch-hub 54 and the clutchhub 55 thrown into engagement with the clutch-sleeve 49; further rotation of the large gear 57 being prohibited and motion again transmitted to the pulley 41 and the feeding-rolls 17. Of course, just as soon as the plate 14 is raised the fingers 11 are again thrown into position and the forming of the next bale begun. When the large gear 57 is stopped the cams 23 are still revolving as the clutch-sleeve 94 is still in engagement with the clutch-sleeve 95, but for limiting the movement of the cams to one revolution, a yoke-shaped lever 96 is attached to the underside of the clutch-sleeve 94 and pivotally supported from the bottom of the press in a suitable manner. The free end of the lever 96 terminates adjacent one of the cams 23 below the center of the same so as to be engaged by a lug 97 just prior to the end of the revolution of said cam. Thus as the cam completes its revolution the lug engages the lever 96 sliding the sleeve 94 out of engagement with the sleeve 95, motion thus being interrupted and the cams swinging to their lowermost position. All parts having thus been restored to their normal positions the forming of another bale is begun, the completion of which is carried out in the manner described. It is to be understood that the operation of the press is entirely automatic so that no incidental operation or step is dependent upon manual operation.

As before stated a suitable tyingmechanism is provided in connection with the press. This consists of a pair of reels 98 mounted on the top 4 on each side of the rails 77 as shown in Fig. 4. The wire 99 from these reels `is carried through the ends of needles 100 adapted to pass down through the top and bottom of the press-box as will be described. The ends of the wires are held in a suitable rotatable knotter 101, but each wire is free to slide through the ends of its respective needle so that as the material is fed into the baling-chamber, the wires are carried forward so that they are looped around the bale on three sides as the same is formed.

The bale is tied as hereinbefore stated during the rest period. z By the time the rest period is reached or when the head 30 has arrived at the end of its forward stroke, the large gear 57 will have revolved sufficiently to bring a segment of gear-teeth 102 arranged on its side, into mesh with the beveled pinion 103 of a vertical shaft 104 which is secured to the outside of the press-box and has connection by a miter gearing 105 with a longitudinal shaft 106 extending forward along the upper side of the press-box. On the end of the shaft 106 a double faced mutilated pinion 107 is secured. One side of the pinion meshes with a gear 108 secured to a shaft 109'transmitting motion by beveled gearing 110 to a disk 111 mounted in a suitable bracket 112. This bracket forms a guide for the needles 100 which are connected by a cross-head 114, the latter being connected with and moved vertically by a link connected to the disk 1.11.

W hen the disk is revolved the needles are carried down and up to loop the wire in rear of the bale, the needles passing through vertical openings 116 in the press head 30 as shown in Fig. 4. Motion is transmitted from the other side of the pinion 107 to a vertical shaft 117 mounted on the Vside of the balingchamber, by a beveled pinion 118. This shafttransmits motion by a miter-gearing 119 to a transverse shaft 120 running beneath the baling-chamber as shown in Fig. 12. The shaft 120 transmits motion by suitable gearing 121 to the `tying device or knotter 101. Thus by reason of the mutilated beveled-pinion 107 the needle operating means and the tying device are set into operation at the proper time. It being obs served that the segment 102 is of such length as to transmit motion to the pinion 103 only during the rest period and that when the low portion 68 of the cam rides 0H of the lever 69, the segment 102 is carried out of engagement with the pinion 103 and the return stroke of the press-head begun, the needles having been returned to their normal Vposition and the wires 99 arranged for the next bale. It

` will thus be apparent that the tying operation is completed before any of the subsequent operations are instituted.

I have not entered into a detailed description of the tying device as the same forms no particular part of the present invention, except that to produce an operative machine a suitable rotary tying device must be provided. However the exact construction of the same may vary as will be apparent.

What I claim, is:

l. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, anda press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in said box, of means for moving said press-head, means operating through the slots of the box for packing the material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, and means for controlling the movement of the press-head set to operate by said packing means.

2. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in said box, of means for moving said press-head to form the bale, means operating through the slots of the box for packing material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for operating the feeding means, and means set to operate by the packing means for alternately setting the last named means and the press-head operating means into operation.

3. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided4 with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in said box, of means for moving said press-head, means operating through the slots of the box for packing the material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for controlling the movement of the press-head set to operate said packing means, and means for ej ecting the bale from the box.

4. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in the box, of means for moving said press-head, means operating through the slots of the box for packing the material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for imparting motion to the feeding-means normally in operation, means for controlling the forward and rearward movement of the press-head and its operating means, and means set to operate by the packing means for throwing said controlling means into operation and the means for imparting motion to the feeding means out of operation.

5. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in the box, of means for moving said press-lead, means operating through the slots of the box for packing the material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for imparting motion to the feeding means normally in operation, means for controlling the forward and rearward movement of the presshead and its operating means, means set to operate by the packing means forthrowing said controlling means into operation and the means for imparting motion to the feeding means out of operation, and means acting upon the last named vmeans to return it to its normal position to throw the controlling and press-head operating means out of operation and the means for imparting motion to the feeding means into operation.

6. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having longitudinal slots in its bottom and provided at one end with a baling chamber, a door for said chamber, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in said box, of means for moving said presshead, means operating through the slots of the box for packing the material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for controlling the movement of the press-head set to operate by said packing means, and means operated by the press-head for opening the door of the baling chamber.

7. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, means for feeding material to the box, and a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in the box, of bale tying means mounted on said box adjacent the baling chamber, means operating through the slots of the box for packing material therein subsequent to the forward movement of the press-head, means for moving the press-head forward and rearward set to operate by the packing means, said means being arranged to momentarily hold the presshead at rest at the end of its forward stroke, and means for operating the bale tying means while the press-head is thus at rest.

8. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, and means for feeding material to the box, of a press-head adapted to move in said box, packing lingers adapted to project through the slots in the box, means for moving said fingers in the slots, and means ar ranged to ermit thevwithdrawal of the fingers from t e slots.

9. VIn an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, and means for feeding material to the box, of a press-head adapted to move forward and rearward in the box, meansfor operating and controlling the movement of said press-head, and packing devices operating in the box arranged to set the press-head operating and controlling means into operation.

10. In an automatic press, the combination with a box having a baling chamber at one end and provided with longitudinal slots in its bottom, and means for feeding material l to the box, of a press-head adapted to move matically set to operate for controlling thel transmission of motion to the transmission shaft.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribing witnesses. V

' ROBERT E. Witnesses: f

FLYNN DAVIS, LELAN LEWIS. 

